NIT Preview: FSU hosts Georgetown

By Matt Harris&nbsp|&nbsp

Posted: Mon 12:24 PM, Mar 24, 2014&nbsp|&nbsp

Updated: Mon 2:20 PM, Mar 24, 2014

*Courtesy FSU Media Relations*

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida State, which defeated Florida Gulf Coast on March 18 in the first round of the NIT, plays host to Georgetown on Monday, March 24, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. in the second round of the NIT at the Donald L. Tucker Center in Tallahassee. Florida State defeated Florida Gulf Coast, 58-53, in Tallahassee while No. 4-seeded Georgetown defeated West Virginia, 77-65, in Washington, D.C. to set up the second round meeting between the Seminoles and the Hoyas.

The winner of Monday's game between Florida State and Georgetown will meet the winner of Saturday's game between No. 2-seeded Georgia and No. 3-seeded Louisiana Tech with the winner of that game advancing to the NIT semifinals in Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Should Florida State advance past Georgetown, the Seminoles would host the quarterfinal game in Tallahassee on March 26.

FLORIDA STATE VS. GEORGETOWN - A SERIES HISTORY

Florida State plays host to Georgetown in the second round of the 2014 NIT. The game marks the first meeting between the Seminoles and the Hoyas since the second round game of the 1992 NCAA Tournament West Regional in Boise, Idaho - a 78-68 win for Florida State. The victory advanced the Seminoles to the West Regional Semifinals in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Florida State lost its next game to Indiana, 85-74.

The Seminoles' game against Georgetown marks the first time that the Seminoles will match up against Georgetown's head coach John Thompson III. Florida State last played a current member of the Big East on December 23, 2010, losing to Butler, 67-64, at the semifinals of the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Seminoles are 13-13 against the current teams of the Big East. Florida State is 6-1 when playing teams from the District of Columbia with its last win against a team from nation's capital coming against Howard on Nov. 26, 1995 - a 97-81 win. Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton has an all-time record of 9-14 against Georgetown with all 23 of those games coming when he was the head coach at Miami.

LOOK FOR FLORIDA STATE TO...

...Defeat Georgetown and advance to the third round of the NIT for the third time in school history. The Seminoles advanced to the finals of the postseason NIT in 1997 and played in the quarterfinals of the event in 2007; ...Defeat Georgetown and gain a win over a team from the Big East for the first time since beating Notre Dame on March 20, 2011 in the NCAA Tournament. The Seminoles advanced to the Sweet 16 with the win. ...Defeat Georgetown and win its sixth game of the season against a team that does, or has called the Big East its conference. The Seminoles earned victories over Miami (January 15, 63-53), Notre Dame (January 21, 76-74), Virginia Tech (February 5, 70-50), Pittsburgh (February 23, 71-66) and Boston College (March 4, 74-70) during the regular season.

FLORIDA STATE MAKING NINTH CONSECUTIVE POSTSEASON APPEARANCE

The Seminoles' selection to the 2014 NIT marks the school-record ninth consecutive postseason appearance for the Seminoles - all under 12th year Head Coach Leonard Hamilton. The Seminoles have appeared in the NIT in six seasons under Hamilton (2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2013 and 2014) and made a school-record four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances from 2009-2012. With its appearance in the 2014 NIT, Florida State has made 23 postseason appearances with nine coming under the direction of Hamilton - the most of any coach in Florida State basketball history.

FLORIDA STATE PLAYING FOR 21 WINS

Florida State enters its game against Georgetown looking to earn its 21st win of the season. A victory over Georgetown on Monday would give Florida State at least 21 wins in a season for the sixth time under head coach Leonard Hamilton. Prior to Hamilton's arrival in Tallahassee for the 2002-03 season, Florida State had won at least 21 games only nine times in the history of the program. Hamilton currently holds the school record for seasons by a coach with at least 21 wins with five.

SEMINOLES' THOMAS NAMED ALL-ACC HONORABLE MENTION

Sophomore Aaron Thomas, who enters Monday's game against Georgetown averaging a team-leading 14.3 points scored per game, earned All-ACC Honorable Mention honors as voted on by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association. It marks the ninth consecutive season and 11th time in the 12 seasons under head coach Leonard Hamilton that the Seminoles have had at least one player earn All-ACC Honors. Thomas is ranked 12th in the ACC in scoring and fifth in steals.

MILLER NAMED SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR IN VOTE BY THE LEAGUES HEAD COACHES

Senior Ian Miller, who is Florida State's second leading scorer coming off the bench in 23 of 30 games, was named the ACC's Sixth Man of the Year in a vote by the league's 15 head coaches. Miller came off the Seminoles' bench in his first 23 games of the season before being inserted in to the starting line-up and ranks 16th in the ACC in scoring (13.7) and third in the ACC in free throw percentage (.863).

MILLER NAMED SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR BY COLLEGEHOOPSDAILY.COM

Senior Ian Miller, who enters Monday's game against Georgetown averaging a career-high 13.7 points scored per game, was named the ACC's Sixth Man of The Year by CollegeHoopsDaily.com.

WHITE NAMED TO ALL-ACC DEFENSIVE TEAM BY ACC COACHES

Senior Okaro White, who is averaging 1.0 blocked shots and 0.8 steals as a senior, was named to the All-ACC Defensive Team by the 15 ACC coaches. White earned 18 blocked shots in 18 ACC games and enters Monday's game against Georgetown with 101 career blocked shots - he became only the 13th player in school history with 100 or more career blocked shots against Maryland on March 13 in the ACC Tournament. White is the anchor of Florida State's defensive effort which has been ranked among the best in the ACC and nation throughout the season. The Seminoles are ranked second in the ACC in blocked shots, third in the ACC in field goal percentage defense and sixth in steals and scoring defense.

FLORIDA STATE AGAINST NCAA AND NIT TEAMS

Florida State played 16 games against teams who are playing in either the NCAA Tournament (12) or the NIT (four) and earned wins over VCU (NCAA), UMass (NCAA), Pitt (NCAA), Clemson (NIT) and Florida Gulf Coast (NIT) during the 2013-14 season.

FLORIDA STATE FROM THE FIELD

Florida State is 10-3 when it shoots 50 percent or better from the field including its ACC-best performance of .580 from the field in its 76-74 win over Notre Dame (January 21).

SEMINOLES FORCE 19 TURNOVERS BY FLORIDA GULF COAST

Florida State forced 19 turnovers by Florida Gulf Coast and turned those 19 turnovers into a 17-6 advantage in points off turnovers. The Seminoles have forced 19 or more turnovers in five games this season and are 5-0 in those games.

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